Sinaia

County	Prahova County
Status	Town
Mayor	Vlad Gheorghe Oprea, National Liberal Party, since 2004
Population (2002)	14,636
Geographical coordinates	45°21′0″N, 25°33′5″E
Web site	http://www.primariasinaia.ro/

Sinaia (/si'na.ja/) (population: 14,636), one of the most beautiful mountain resorts of Romania, boasts of a past rich in cultural and social events. Combining natural beauty with picturesque architecture, Sinaia is a former royal residence and bears a holy name. King Carol I of Romania built his summer home, Peleş Castle, near the town. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (404x639, 244 KB) Other versions http://commons. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1168x880, 156 KB) Locator map of Sinaia on Romania map File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sinaia ... Administrative map of Romania. ... Prahova (IPA: ) is a county (judeÅ£) in the Center-South of Romania, in the North of the Wallachia region, with the capital city at PloieÅŸti (population: 253,068). ... The Partidul NaÅ£ional Liberal (National Liberal Party) is a liberal party in Romania, and the second largest party in parliament, being edged out only by the Social Democratic Party. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carol I, original name Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (April 20, 1839 - October 10, 1914) was elected Domnitor (prince) of Romania in April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexander John Cuza, and proclaimed king on March 26, 1881. ... PeleÅŸ Castle PeleÅŸ Castle A mural in the inner court A royal crest sculpture PeleÅŸ Castle (Romanian: Castelul PeleÅŸ ) is a romantic castle in Sinaia, Romania, built between 1873 and 1883, and considered by some to be the most beautiful in Europe. ...

The Sinaia City Hall

The town was named after Sinaia Monastery, around which it was built. The monastery is in turn named after the Biblical Mount Sinai. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (3264x2448, 1475 KB) Summary Description: City hall of Sinaia, Romania Source: taken by Luc Saillard Date: August 2005 Author: Luc Saillard Permission: {{{Permission}}} Other versions of this file: - Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Sinaia ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (3264x2448, 1475 KB) Summary Description: City hall of Sinaia, Romania Source: taken by Luc Saillard Date: August 2005 Author: Luc Saillard Permission: {{{Permission}}} Other versions of this file: - Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Sinaia ... The Church of the Sinaia Monastery The Sinaia Monastery, founded by Prince Mihai Cantacuzino in 1695 and named after the great Sinai Monastery on Mount Sinai, in the Sinai Peinsula. ... Moses with the Ten Commandments by Rembrandt (1659) Biblical Mount Sinai refers to the place where, according to the Hebrew Bible (Exod. ...

Sinaia is about 60 km northwest of Ploieşti and 50 km south of Braşov, in a mountainous area on the Prahova river valley. The altitude of the town varies between 767 m and 860 m. County Prahova County Status County capital Mayor Emil Calotă, Social Democratic Party, since 2000 Population (2002) 232,452 Geographical coordinates , Web site http://www. ... County BraÅŸov County Status County capital Mayor George Scripcaru, since 2004 Area  km² Population (2002) 283,901 Density  inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Prahova is a river of Southern Romania, which rises from the Bucegi Mountains, in the Carpathians and flows into the Ialomiţa (near Adâncata). ...

Sinaia was also the summer residence of the great Romanian composer George Enescu, who stayed at the Luminiş villa. George Enescu George Enescu (pronunciation in Romanian: ; known in France as Georges Enesco) (August 19, 1881, Liveni – May 4, 1955, Paris) was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher, preeminent musician of the 20th century, one of the greatest interpreters of his time. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

The city is also a popular destination for hiking and winter sports, especially downhill skiing.

An 1890s postcard image of Sinaia

Among the tourist landmarks, the most important are Peleş Castle, Pelişor Castle, Sinaia Monastery, Sinaia Casino, Sinaia train station, and the Franz Joseph and Saint Anne Cliffs. Download high resolution version (1024x762, 259 KB) This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Download high resolution version (1024x762, 259 KB) This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... PeleÅŸ Castle PeleÅŸ Castle A mural in the inner court A royal crest sculpture PeleÅŸ Castle (Romanian: Castelul PeleÅŸ ) is a romantic castle in Sinaia, Romania, built between 1873 and 1883, and considered by some to be the most beautiful in Europe. ... PeliÅŸor Castle PeliÅŸor Castle (Romanian: Castelul PeliÅŸor ) was built between 1899 – 1903 by the order of King Carol I as the residence for his Royal family, the future King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, by the architect Karel Liman in the Art Nouveau style. ... The Church of the Sinaia Monastery The Sinaia Monastery, founded by Prince Mihai Cantacuzino in 1695 and named after the great Sinai Monastery on Mount Sinai, in the Sinai Peinsula. ... The Sinaia Casino is located in Dimitrie Ghica park, Sinaia, Romania and was also built at the initiative of King Carol I of Romania. ... The first Sinaia train station was built in 1913, by Demeter Cartner Company, and the second one some times later, and it was reserved exclusively for the Royal Family and its guests, foreign leaders. ... The Franz Joseph and Saint Anne Cliffs are located near Sinaia, Prahova Valley, Romania. ...

The climate

The climate is a characteristic of low-altitude mountain passes. Annual average temperature: 8°C; Average temperature in June: 15°C; Average temperature in January: -4°C.

Summers are bracing and very rainy in the beginning of the season. Winters are relatively mild, with heavy snow. Average annual rainfall is 900 mm. The maximum registered rainfall was in June (173 mm). The minimum rainfall was recorded in September (55 mm) and February (40mm).

A uniform layer of snow is deposited usually in November and it melts from March to April, sometimes at the beginning of May. The thickness of the snow layer varies between 20 centimeters and 3 meters in higher elevations.

In recent years, Sinaia has felt the effects of global climate change – change that has meant shorter summers, with temperatures frequently over 30°C, a slight reduction in the length of spring and autumn, and relatively longer winters (end of October – beginning of May), colder winters with entire weeks dominated by frost ( -19°C to -25°C) and numerous blizzards.

Natural cure factors

Proponents claim that Sinaia has a refreshing and stimulating bio-climate that is beneficial for the human body. There are also some mineral springs in Câinelui Valley that have sulphur-ferric mineral water and contain other soluble minerals.

Nature preservation

Sinaia Monastery

In the town of Sinaia and its surroundings restrictions are in place regarding cutting down or picking up flora. The felling of trees is not allowed. It is forbidden to pick up any alpine plants. Severe punishment may be in store for those who gather these plants: the Mountain Peony (Rhododendron Kotsky), Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), and the Yellow Gentiana (Gentiana lutea). Download high resolution version (661x660, 31 KB) taken by me in 2004. ... Download high resolution version (661x660, 31 KB) taken by me in 2004. ... In Botany a Flora (or Floræ) is a collective term for plant life and can also refer to a descriptive catalogue of the plants of any geographical area, geological period, etc. ... Species See text The peony or paeony (Paeonia) is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. ... Binomial name Leontopodium alpinum Cass. ... Species See text Gentian is the common name for the genus Gentiana L. 1753, belonging to the Gentian family (Gentianaceae), tribe Gentianeae and monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. ...

Tourist camping is only authorized in designated places, following necessary and compulsory protection standards.

The mountainous area in which Sinaia is located is in the Bucegi Natural Park region. Bucegi Natural Park covers a total area of 326.63 square kilometres, of which 58.05 square kilometres are under strict protection and shelter natural monuments.

Bucegi Natural Preserve area includes all the abrupt areas of the next mountains: Vârful cu Dor, Furnica, and Piatra Arsă.

The Sinaia cable car, which offers views of the surrouding natural reserve

The mountainous area is continuously patrolled by mountain rescue patrols as well as by members of the Mountain Police. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x695, 68 KB) Description: Town and Mountains in Sinaia, Romania Source: taken by Moritz Eyer Date: August 2004 Author: Moritz Eyer - Molle 23:41, 3 May 2005 (UTC) Permission: Put under GNU FDL by Moritz Eyer Other versions of this file... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x695, 68 KB) Description: Town and Mountains in Sinaia, Romania Source: taken by Moritz Eyer Date: August 2004 Author: Moritz Eyer - Molle 23:41, 3 May 2005 (UTC) Permission: Put under GNU FDL by Moritz Eyer Other versions of this file...

At the entrance to the Cumpătu district, one can find the “Sinaia alder-tree grove” botanical reservation placed under the Romanian Academy – the Bucharest Biology Institute protection. In the same district, there is also another ecological research station under the patronage of UNESCO – J.-Y. Cousteau, belonging to Bucharest University, which also includes a museum of Bucegi Mountains fauna in a laboratory for nature protection. UNESCO logo UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... University of Bucharest is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former St. ...

Notable residents

1. George Enescu
2. Romanian Royal family

George Enescu George Enescu (pronunciation in Romanian: ; known in France as Georges Enesco) (August 19, 1881, Liveni – May 4, 1955, Paris) was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher, preeminent musician of the 20th century, one of the greatest interpreters of his time. ... The King of Romania was the title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Category:Sinaia

• Sinaia travel guide from Wikitravel
• Official site
• Tourist information, Ski map and Ski touring in Bucegi Mountains